Developing and Refining One's Sense of Taste - week 9

Market Basket. Think of it as the mid-term exam of the class. There's no pass or fail.

It's the one evening that I showed up late for class. I even received a text message from Angie while sitting in traffic, "Hello, are you running late for class?"  When I entered the room Chef was addressing questions from the class and reiterating the rules for Market Basket

• Use all the ingredients on your tray
• After reviewing the tray contents ask for any additional items you might need to make your dish 
• All the dishes must  include the provided protein: chicken
• Make at least two dishes 
• Make enough of the dishes for Chef to sample and critique as well as for the rest of the class to taste
• Ttwo hours to make the dishes

Each group was asked to  pick a  number between 1 and 9 and choose a name for the  group. Marl and I chose 7. Our group name was Magnificent 7 (I was hoping to channel some of Yul Brynner's cooking ability for Market Basket)

What I learned

• Tray 7 was a hodgepodge of ingredients : bananas, cucumber, shallots, tomatoes, fish sauce, coconut milk, jalapenos, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and lime. 
• Marl and asked for shrimp, kaffir lime leaves,  dark,brown sugar, dark rum , goat cheese, red Thai chili peppers
• We picked up brussels sprouts and bacon that were not being used by other teams
• Our menu: 

• crunchy vegetable salad tossed with a light vinaigrette, resting on brussel sprout petals
• Bruschetta with goat cheese red peppers, bacon, and parsley
• Thai coconut soup featuring chicken and shrimp 
• Bananas foster
   

Observations

• Each team did a great job. I think the  dishes looked good and tasted great.
• Chef said each dish needed more salt. 
• The bruschetta was well received as was the salad
• Chef debriefed the class after all dishes were critiqued. We've learned a lot and it showed. 
• Only two men in the class were present for Market Basket - very noticeable in the group photo taken at the end of class, only one male student is present. 

Self reflection

• I survived Market Basket night. I haven't felt this kind of adrenaline rush since I completed my Community Emergency Response Training exam. 
• As soon as we walked in the kitchen Marl said, "you're scared.".  Was it the shallow breathing that gave me away? In any case, he was right.  I was able to take a deep breath and then move forward.
• What's there to be scared of? I keep envisioning a scene from Lupo the Butcher  in the class kitchen with me as Lupo. I've been working to improve my knife skills. When Chef said the salad reflected "great knife skills", Lupo's presence became much smaller. 
• The bananas foster was a mess in my opinion. Chef suggested using a very hot pan if I make the dessert in the future. When I later asked Chef what he would've done with the banana; he said we would've added it to the soup or made a curry with the banana. 
• I left class, went home and slept like a baby.

Questions and Answers
I've received a few questions that I want to share with you.

Q: Is the class over now?
A: No, this is mid-term for the class. The will continue until June.

Q:Is Marl in anyone of the pictures?
A: No , Marl left once the last dish was critiqued

Q: Is Marl in the photo with you and the other female student?

A: No, that's another student.  The three of us sit next to each other in row 3 in class.  Before you ask, he is married. 

Q:Is Chef single?
A: No, he's married. His wife is a chef as well.  Did my mother put you up to asking that question?

Tonight: Beef


Be well,
Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+ LLC

Developing and Refining One's Sense of Taste - week 8

The room buzzed with energy. Students were glad to be back in class after the  previous week's cancelled class. Chef  lectured and demonstrated how to: fabricate and render duck fat, cook, duck leg confit, roast a chicken, roast a brined chicken, pan sear duck breast, and make chicken breast roulade. Chef lectured for 3.5 hours. He showed the class how to cut up a chicken, cut up a duck, and truss tie up a chicken as part of his lecture and demonstration.

Quote for the night: "If it's on it, it's in it"


What I learned

• While duck is poultry it is treated like beef . Duck breast is cooked medium rare.
• Every 20 minutes bacteria grows exponentially, especially between 41 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Basting is the ultimate way to roast chicken
• Brine poultry for 1 hour per pound of poultry
• The tab on the base of the chicken is sometimes called the "pope's nose"
• Moisture flows from the source of heat. The higher the temperature, the higher the pressure inside the meat. Hence the reason to let meat rest before cutting.
• Caramel and acid = gastrique
• Butcher salt has nitrates. It is used to help meat maintain its color
• Let meat rest  1/3 of the cooking time before cutting
• A poultry fork is designed to go around the spine of the chicken
• Three reasons to truss a chicken
• to give it good shape
• to hold moisture in



duck confit with endive and blueberries

• to provide webbing to hold the poultry together

Observations

• Food grade plastic wrap is essential to make the chicken roulade.
• Chef asked everyone in class to cut up a duck  before leaving.
• Before the lecture began Chef reminded the class that next week is Market Basket. Chef  jokingly told the class to think of it like "Chop'd". We'll have two hours to produce two dishes - one for presenting to Chef to taste and another for the class to taste. 
• My primary task in helping with classroom prep was to make  mirepoix "all day". Angie explained that "all day" is a restaurant term meaning "the total amount". I made 2 quarts mirepoix, which cutting 2 quarts diced onion, 1 quart diced onion, and one quart diced celery. 

Self -reflection

• I arrived to class tired and got sleepy during the lecture. The lecture was interesting, but the level of exhaustion was finally catching up with me. I cut up the duck left.  So did Marl. 
• Preparing the chicken roulade requires using a meat tenderizer (a small hammer with a smooth side and dimpled side).  It reminded of the cooking class where I was assigned to flatten the chicken breasts. It has been a long day at work- I suppose I was too vigorous  in pounding the chicken breasts. One of the class assistants took the meat tenderizer from my hand, smiled and said "I think that's enough". I need to add meat tenderizer to my wishlist of kitchen utensils. I think using the hammer or mallet in my toolbox would destroy the food. 
• After tonight's class I'm adding a poultry fork to my utensil wishlist.
• I think I will try making duck confit and cooking duck breast at home. I've already check my nearby supermarket for duck.  I didn't see any on the shelves, so I'll be  shopping around. I think the confit, endive and blueberries would be a great dish to serve  at home and pack as a lunch.
• Because each team is presented with a mystery basket I won't be assisting with class setup next week.  I'm grateful for the break.
• I've heard that in the past students don't show up for Market Basket night. I'm determined to show up and do my best. 

Tonight: Market Basket.

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by Ink +LLC